How to prepare for a hurricane

While you need to prepare for a natural disaster , getting your home and family ready to weather a hurricane involves more than organizing a 72-hour emergency kit It’s important to be proactive and have a plan and supplies in place long before a hurricane arrives. FEMA and the Red Cross recommend having at least 72 hours’ worth of food, water, and supplies for each person in your family – but as we’ve seen with many hurricanes, including Hurricane Sandy in 2012, sometimes it takes relief agencies up to a week or longer to get set up and running in affected areas. Stock up. If you are not in an area that is advised to evacuate and you decide to stay in your home, plan for adequate supplies in case you lose power and water for several days and you are not able to leave due to flooding or blocked roads. Preparing for hurricane season in advance and knowing what to expect when one hits is one of the smartest things you can do, whether you need to remain in your home or create and follow a hurricane evacuation plan Below, find useful safety tips on how to prepare for a hurricane, how to stay safe while it’s happening, and how to deal with the aftermath once the storm has passed.

3. Build an emergency kit with a gallon of water per person, per day, nonperishable food, a flashlight, battery-powered radio, first aid kit, medications, supplies for an infant if applicable, a multipurpose tool, personal hygiene items, copies of important papers, cellphone chargers, extra cash, blankets, maps of the area and emergency contact information. If you are not in an area that is advised to evacuate and you decide to stay in your home, plan for adequate supplies in case you lose power and water for several days and you are not able to leave due to flooding or blocked roads. Hurricane force winds can turn landscaping materials into missiles that can break windows and doors and much of the property damage associated with hurricanes occurs after the windstorm when rain enters structures through broken windows, doors and openings in the roof.

This includes making sure they have their own family emergency plan and are stocked up on basic disaster supplies including food and water, a flashlight, batteries, chargers, cash, and first aid supplies. Prepare a survival kit that includes items such as water, non-perishable food and medications for everyone, including your pets; a portable radio; flashlights; batteries; and battery chargers for your cell phones and other portable electronic devices, which can be powered by your car. A hurricane safety kit should include non-perishable food, water, a first-aid kit, a battery-powered radio, flashlights, batteries, blankets and clothing.

Plan to pack a disaster supply kit which includes: food and water, a flashlight and extra batteries, chargers, cash or checks, a first aid kit, clothes, a map of your evacuation route, an extra set of car keys and a full tank of gas, medications for family members or pets, extra glasses or contacts, sturdy shoes, a portable batter-operated radio, blankets, pillows, sleeping bags, toiletries like toothbrushes, soap, and toilet paper, packaged or canned food and a nonelectric can opener, toys, books, games, drivers’ licenses, and copies of all household members’ birth certificates. To discover your local hurricane evacuation routes, contact a local emergency management agency and be prepared to drive about 20-50 miles inland in order to locate a safe place to stay. In fact, there are five categories of storm ratings: 74-95 mph is considered minimal (level 1), 111-129 is extensive (level 3), and 157 or higher means catastrophic damage is expected at landfall (level 5). While hurricanes usually weaken by the time land is reached, due to the absence of energy from warm ocean waters, they often continue to travel far inland, while dumping several inches of rain and causing a lot of wind damage before dying out completely.

Determine Your Risk: Hurricanes have multiple severe weather threats including, extreme winds, flooding and power outages. Often, the winds are not the most dangerous thing about hurricanes; it is the water and the flooding that happens during and after the storm. Have an emergency travel kit that includes food, water, battery-powered radio, flashlight and first aid supplies.

Hurricanes and tropical storms generally can be tracked days ahead of any impact, providing ample time to prepare for a potential evacuation. Tropical storms and hurricanes bring heavy rain and winds that can create damage, as well as block roads and knock out power. Because of this, it is critically important to ensure that you have a source of fresh, clean water. Visit www.usaberkey.com for more information.